Seattle Restaurants

Seattle is famous for its espresso, fresh salmon and international cuisine and offers a multitude of restaurants and dining choices to satisfy every taste and pocket. The city supplies almost 50 percent of the nations seafood and many menus feature fresh fish specials. Seattle also has the title of having Americas largest per capita beer consumption and is home to a vibrant micro brewing industry. Many downtown restaurants and cafs make good use of the local fruits and vegetables on offer in the Pike Place Market.

Local cuisine

Seattle cuisine is characterised by its use of the freshest vegetables and fruit, locally-raised meats and Pacific fish and seafood. Shellfish features prominently in Seattle cooking and a long term local favourite are chowders made with clams or salmon.

Dungeness crabs are typically bought either live or pre-cooked. Larger crabs are valued for the higher meat to shell ratio. Live crabs are cooked by simply steaming or boiling them in water for about 15-18 minutes. Beer, crab boil spices or other seasonings can also be added to the water if desired. Washington State is the nations top producer of apples. Among the varieties produced are Red and Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith. Aplets are a delicious Washington candy that is made with gelatine, walnuts and apples.

Where to eat

Neighbourhoods like Ballard, University District, Fremont and Capitol Hill are popular with younger crowds of artists and students with varied tastes and small budgets.
Downtown has seen higher prices and more upper-crust restaurants in recent times and Belltown is a popular hangout for yuppies. More elegant dining can be found in Shilsole Bay, where good restaurants like Rays Boathouse line the shores of Puget Sound, offering fine views and mouth-watering seafood.